


The Kids Aren't Alright

by 50shadesofsubtext



Series: SPN Angst Bingo [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 9 Squares - 3 Fics Challenge, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Dean/Cas Bingo, Doctor Castiel, Domestic, M/M, New Parent, Open Marriage, Polyamory, SPN Angst Bingo 2018, SPN Poly Bingo 2018, Sick baby, meet weird, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 18:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14087202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50shadesofsubtext/pseuds/50shadesofsubtext
Summary: When Dean is completely overwhelmed after Lydia dropped Emma of at his doorstep, he finds help in an unexpected place.My fill for the SPN Angst Bingo for the square Hospital AU.My fill for the SPN Poly Bingo for the square Meet Weird.My fill for the Dean/Cas Bingo for the square Dad!My fill for the 9 Squares 3 Fics Challenge for the squares Castiel, New Parents, and Hospital AU.





	The Kids Aren't Alright

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from The Offspring's song of the same name. 
> 
> Thank you to @stealintomyaffections for the inspiration. Check her out on Tumblr!
> 
> Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Do not trust and medical advise in this fic. If you have a sick baby, make sure they get medical assistance as soon as possible.

 

Dean made shushing noises as Emma cried in his arms. He was doing his best to calm the baby down, but the people in the store still gave him dirty looks as they passed by. Dean got why the people were annoyed at a screaming baby, but he was just as frustrated as they were. Seriously, he’d done everything he could think of for Emma, and he couldn’t calm her down. That was why he was searching in the medicine aisle for anything that could take her temperature down or settle her stomach.

A little girl grabbed his leg before he even realized she was there, and she tugged on his pant leg, her blond curls swishing with the effort. “Is that your baby?” She asked when he looked down, and Dean nodded to her. He didn’t want to blow the kid off, but he turned back to the shelf in front of him, more worried about finding something for Emma than talking to the kid.

“My baby brother is the same size!” she almost shouted up at him in excitement. “Did you get her from the hospital too?”

Dean couldn’t help smiling at that and looked down at the girl. “Yeah, the hospital,” he managed. Technically, it was true. She was born at the hospital. Dean hadn’t been there though. He hadn’t even known Emma existed until two days ago when Lydia showed up at his front door, crying baby in her arms, and said she couldn’t handle it.

“My daddy's got JackJack from the hospital too. He doesn’t cry like that though.”

Dean grabbed two bottles of liquid off the shelf, trying to compare them with one hand while he patted Emma’s back. “Well, she doesn’t feel good right now,” Dean told the kid. He tried not to blame Lydia for giving up their kid, but it was hard. Who gives up a baby because she’s sick? After two days of non-stop crying, though, Dean at least had sympathy for the woman.

“Uh, huh, that’s great,” Dean told her, trying to figure out which bottle would help more.

“Claire,” a deep voice said in exasperation behind them, “there you are. What did I tell you about staying with me?”

“You said to do it,” she said in a sing-song voice. “But, daddy, the baby was crying, and she is the same size as JackJack.”

Dean heard a sigh behind him and turned around to look at the man and assure him the kid wasn’t a problem. What he saw, though, took his breath away. The man had dark hair pushed up into a spikey, haphazard mess, and wore a fitted white dress shirt. The blue silk tie and black-rimmed glasses pushed up on his nose made his blue eyes pop.

Dean knew him. Dean  _ slept _ with him a month ago. Cas must have recognized him too, because a smile curled on his lips. “I’m sorry she was bothering you,” he told Dean with a deep, gravelly voice.

“No, uh, she was fine.”

Cas nodded before looking at the crying bundle in Dean’s arms and the bottles barely balanced in Dean’s hand. “Would you like some assistance?” he asked, and Dean felt himself nod in response.

Cas took a step forward and, instead of reaching for the bottles, he reached out for Emma. Dean was too tired to question if that was weird, and grabbed the bottle that threatened to fall to the ground. Cas adjusted Emma on his shoulder and rubbed his hand down her back.

“Can you fix her, Daddy?” Claire asked from Cas’ side.

He put a hand on Emma’s forehead before looking at Dean, “How long has she been like this?”

“Two days. Well, I’ve had her two days, and she’s cried since I got her.”

“Daddy can fix anyone,” Claire told Dean. “He’s a doctor.”

Dean raised an eyebrow and Cas smiled back, “We didn’t really get a chance to talk, before.” That was true, they matched on Grindr, Cas came to his apartment, and he didn’t even spend the night. It had been good sex though, and Dean and thought about reaching out again before Emma happened.

Dean looked at Claire before glancing back up, “Yeah, I guess not.”

Cas continued to pat Emma’s back as he smiled at Dean, pointedly changing the subject, “Has she been to her pediatrician?”

“I have no idea if her mom took her in,” Dean admitted. “I called to a few different places, but they couldn’t get her in until Friday.” That was the end of the week, and Dean didn’t know if he could last that long. He figured if this medicine didn’t help, he could take her to the urgent care in the morning, though he had no idea how he would pay for it.

Castiel frowned, “No, that won’t do.” He shifted Emma and squatted down, meeting Claire’s eyes. “Go find your Papa. I need to take the baby to work and take a look at her.”

Claire nodded and twirled her hair as she skipped away. Dean stepped forward, “No, I couldn’t ask you to--”

“--You didn’t ask, Dean,” Castiel said with an eyebrow raised and authority in his voice that made Dean pause. “She needs help. It’s my pleasure.”

Dean was ready to protest, but Castiel shook his head. “What’s her name?”

“Emma. Look, Cas, are we gonna talk about--” Dean cut himself off when he saw Claire hand in hand with a man pushing a cart with a baby strapped to his chest.

He was attractive, dirty blond, old enough to look refined, but he wore a black t-shirt with an extra deep v-neck. Cas took a step back to let them into the circle. “Dean, this is my husband, Balthazar. Babe, this is Dean, the one I told you about a few weeks ago.”

Balthazar gave him a once-over with a lusty smile on his face before looking at Emma in Dean’s arms. “Why must you insist on picking up strays, Cassy?” His British accent went straight to Dean’s dick, and he had to remind himself that his focus needed to be on Emma and not the ridiculously dashing couple in front of him.

“I’m taking her to the hospital. I’ll meet you at home later?”

Balthazar nodded before looking at Dean sweeping his eyes down his body, “I hope to meet you again soon.” Dean knew he was in shape, but he had no idea why Balthazar looked at him like a piece of meat. He hadn’t slept or showered in two days, and he was sure there was Emma’s spit-up on his clothes and in his hair.

Dean gave him a weak smile and nodded, looking down to see Claire run forward to hug Cas. “Daddy, can I come with you?”

Cas chuckled as he bent down again, carefully keeping Emma balanced. At least Emma’s wails had quieted in Cas’ arms, “I’m sorry, sweetheart, not today. But you can stay here with your Papa, and I bet I’ll be home in time to tuck you into bed.”

Claire’s eyes grew big, “And you’ll read me a story?”

Cas nodded, “Of course.”

Claire kissed Cas’ cheek, and Emma’s head before Cas stood back up and led Dean to the front of the store. Dean buckled Emma into her car seat in the Impala and got behind the wheel. He pulled onto the frontage road before sneaking a glance at Cas. “So, uh, you and Balthazar?”

Cas gave him a questioning look and said in a slow voice like he was explaining to a child, “We are married.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “Yeah, caught that. And you slept with me.”

“Are we just stating facts?” Cas asked him with a smirk on his face.

“Dude,” Dean said, “you know what I’m talking about, you obviously told him about me.”

Cas watched out the front window as Dean pulled onto the highway. “We believe that it is impossible for one person to fill all of someone’s needs. So we open our marriage to others.”

“So, you aren’t in trouble for what we did?” Cas didn’t bother answering, just turned to give Dean a withering stare. “Right,” Dean said, looking back to the road.

They drove in silence broken only by Cas’ directions to the hospital. It wasn’t until Dean was parking that he turned back to the other man. “Thanks for this, I was really worried.”

“It’s no problem,” Cas told him with a smile before getting out of the car. He took Emma from her car seat and carried her toward the building, leaving Dean to scramble for the diaper bag to follow them.

Cas lead them toward the pediatric ward, and asked a nurse for an empty room.  “Of course, Dr. Novak,” the brunette said before leading them into a clear area. Cas handed Emma back to Dean and told him to set on the chair. “Be sure to hold her upright,” he said when Dean made a move to cradle Emma in his arms.

“Is she better that way?” Dean asked.

Cas rolled a stool in front of them and turned on a light when he could see into Emma’s ear. “See here,” he told Dean, “she has an ear infection. When you lay her down, the pressure builds, and it hurts more.”

Dean had been laying her down often, both in his bed and arms, hoping that maybe she could get sleep. It had only been two days, and Dean had already hurt his baby. He thought, for what must have been the millionth time,  _ what am I doing? _ Cas must have seen the worry on his face because he patted Dean’s arm, “You didn’t know, don’t blame yourself.”

“Cas, I have no idea what I’m doing,” he admitted. “I had a one night stand a year ago, and then she turned up on my doorstep,  _ two fucking days ago, _ and handed me a baby. I didn’t even know she was pregnant.”

Cas gave him a patient smile, and Dean continued, “I didn’t have anything. I haven’t been around a baby since my brother was little. I haven’t slept in two days. I had to guess on types of formula. She’s barely stopped crying. Man, I don’t know if I can do this.”

Cas’ hand stayed on Dean’s arm as he talked, and he rubbed his thumb reassuringly over Dean’s elbow. “You want this to work. She is already wrapped around your finger, I can see it. You just need a little help.”

“The closest thing I have for help out here is my boss. My brother’s in school across the country, and he’s the only family I have.”

Cas stood up, looking like he made a decision. He pulled out a prescription pad and scribbled on it before tucking the front sheet in Dean’s front shirt pocket. “Let’s stop at the pharmacy, get Emma some antibiotics.”

Dean let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. “Thank you, Cas, seriously.”

“And then,” Cas added, “We are going to your apartment and grabbing some necessities. And then you are coming home with me.”

Dean stopped in the doorway. “No, Cas, I can’t--”

“Yes, you can. You need sleep. We’ll watch Emma.”

At that moment, Dean wondered if he could kiss Cas. He’d never been more grateful to anyone. Cas just smiled back and led him downstairs to the pharmacy.

When they finally made it to Cas’ house, Balthazar welcomed Dean with open arms. They fed him dinner and took turns passing Jack and Emma between them. Claire was really excited to see Dean and Emma, and she kept asking to hold the baby.

When it was time for bed, Cas put Emma in Jack’s crib and gave Dean the spare room. He was out in minutes, and woke up with sunlight streaming into the room and Claire bouncing onto his chest.

“Oh, uh--” he heard Balthazar talking in the hall, calling for Claire. “Sounds like your Papa is looking for you.”

“Are you moving here?” Claire asked him, unconcerned with her dad in the hall.

“Oh, well…” he trailed off, not sure what to say. Balthazar found them just in time, and apologized for Claire.

“She has a habit of wandering off.”

“I noticed,” Dean told him. “I should get Emma.”

He moved to pull off the covers and Balthazar shook his head, “I don’t think Cassy could bare to let go of that baby, Love. I woke up to him dancing around the kitchen making pancakes with her in his arms.”

Dean couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the mental image, and grinned.

“You may just have to stay. For their bond.”

Claire let out a happy whoop and threw her tiny arms around Dean. He hugged back and caught Balthazar’s eyes. He could definitely handle staying here.


End file.
